Electric heater



Oct. 20, 1931,

ELECTRIC HEATER 1925l 2 Shees-Shem Filed Nov.

PIE- 2- Oct. 20, 1931. w. w. HICKS ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Nov. 27, 192537 f I j! PIE- E- 2 Sheets-snaai 2 INV EN TOR HIS ATTORNEY Patented Oct.20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application med November 27, 1926.Serial No. 151,206.

This invention relates to electric heaters, and particularly to roomheaters used v1n dwellings.

Up to the present time, electric room heaters have taken several forms,such as the portable type, the wall or floor reglster type, and thefireplace type. With all such heaters, it is manifest that the artisticfeel or character of the room where they are used, is

noticeably disturbed; in other words, the heaters do not easily fit intothe scheme of interior decoration; and this is most pronounced in homeswhere the most pains are taken to achieve harmony and beauty.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide an electric heaterthat can readily be employed in the most carefully planned scheme ofdecoration without detracting therefrom. For this purpose, I provide aheater that outwardly resembles a vase or urn, but which has concealedwithin it, the

heating element that provides the requisite movement of heated air.

In order to provide a practicable heater of this character, it isnecessary to resort to certain novel features of construction, some ofwhich are generally applicable to other forms of heaters. It isaccordingly another object of my invention to provide in general animproved electric air heater.

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of severalembodiments of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a few formsin thegdrawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification. I shall now proceed to describe these forms in detail,which illustrate the general principles of my invention; but it is to beunderstood that this detailed description is not to be taken in alimiting sense, since the scope of 'my invention is best defined by theappended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a heater embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. horizontal section thereof, taken along plane 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a modified form of heater;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section plane 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a further modification; and

Fig.- 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lane 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In igs. 1 and 2, the form illustrated includes a vase or urn body 11,resting in this instance on a stand 12, of either Wood or ce-l ramicmaterial. The Vase is also shown as of ceramic material, but of coursemetal could as well be used. The stand 12 is provided to raise thebottom of vase 11 from the floor 13, and thus to permit cool air toenter through the aperture 14 in the vase. The base 12 has acorresponding aperture 15 so as to leave the flow of air unimpeded.

taken along A convection current, flowing upwardthrough vase 11 issecured by the aid of heating elements now to be described, which arelocated in the vase. Thus heated currents of air leave the vase at itsmouth, as indicated by arrows 16. The heating element in this instanceincludes a hollow flue 17 of ceramic material, such as clay, havingexternal grooves 18, in which is disposed a coiled heating wire 19. Theflue or tube 17 is in a vertical position, and alined in the path of theair currents. The interior as well as the exterior of the tube 17 thusserves as a source of heat, transferring its heat to the moving streamof air around and through the tube. In this way, a very materialmovement of heated air can be secured for use in the room where theheater is located.

The direct radiation from heater tube 17 would make the vase undesirablyhot. Furthermore, it is advisable to conne the movement of air adjacentthe heater unit, so that a rapid heating current of air will result.Both these functions are performed by a tubular baflie 2O concentricwith and surrounding tube 17, and deeply corrugated as shown in Fig. 2.In this instance the corrugations are V-shaped. The baille itself can bemade from thin copper or other metal.

In order to support the baffle 20 and tube 17 inside of vase 11, threeor four hooks 21 the structure 23 then serving as a baselike supportwithin the vase. The bottom of baffle 20 is fastened, as by soldering,to this support. Of course the baille 20 and support 23 must be soconstructed as to permit their insertion in vase 11. The overalldiameter of baiiie 20 is therefore less than that of the mouth of vase11; While the legs of support 23 can be resiliently brought togetherwhile passing through the mouth. A Wire screen 24 of coarse mesh can beplaced over baille 2O as a protection for the heater unit, and can beheld in place in any appropriate manner. The hook portions of members 21can be flattened and painted to be inconspicuous in vase 11. The corruations in baiiie 20 increase its internal sur ace for reiiection of theheat received from the tube 17.

It is to be noted that the heater as shown can be used in the mostcarefully planned home, for the vase form thereof blends harmoniouslywith the other usual apurtenances. The source of heat, while entirelyeffective, has no objectionable appearance. v The particular details ofthe heater can be varied while retaining these advantages. Thus in Fig.3 a metal vase 25 is shown in lieu of the ceramic one of Fig. 1.Substantially the same type of baliie 26 is shown, having however,rounded vertical corrugations; and rods 27 are fastened to its lower endto keep the baiiie 26 in proper position with re-l spect to the vaseinterior. The heating element itself in this instance includes a ceramictube 27 in which a coil 28 of bare wire is inserted. A metal sheath 29extends around the tube 27 and clamps it frictionally by resilientforce, said sheath extending only partly around the tube. In order tosupport the element, a pair of metal bracket straps 30 is provided,adjacent the top and bottom of sheath 29, for suspending it from theinterior of baille 26. Of course other means for holding the unit couldbe used.

The operation of the form of heater shown in Figs. 3 and 4 issubstantially the same as of that first described. Convection currentsof heated air are produced around sheath and proceed from out of themouth of vase 25.

In Figs. 5 and 6, still another form is illustrated. The battle 31 iscylindrical, and is supported on the heating unit 32 by a series theceramic tube 35 in which the heating coil 36 is dis osed. The hooks 37in this instance connect irectly to the fins 34. These tins arepurposely leit open so as to permit air to ass fhrough them, thusserving as individual ues.

The advanta es of all three forms are substantially simi ar. They permitthe use of electric heating in esthetic surroundings, without providlngany arring feature, such as is so common with the usual forms. The unitsthemselves are of course of considerable size, so that rapid heating canb e secured, with a lar e volume of heated air.

I c aim:

1. In an electric air heater, a vessel having a vase contour but with anopen large aperture in its bottom, the openings at the top and bottombeing unobstructed at all times, a base for supporting said vessel abovethe floor and also having an aperture to permit free entrance of airinto the vessel through said apertures, a tubular heatin unit arrangedvertically in the vessel and in line with the vertical passagewaythrough said vessel, a metallic aiile having vertical deep corrugations,surrounding said heating unit, and means for positioning said baille andheating unit Within the vessel, comprising a plurality of hooks engagingthe mouth of the vessel, said hooks depending into the vessel and havinga connection with the baille.

2. In an electric air heater, a hollow body having a bulging portion andopen only near the top and bottom, an electric heating element arrangedsubstantially in line with the vertical axis of the body, and a. baillesurrounding the element and spaced intermediate the walls of the bodyand the element having a continuous uninterrupted face opposite to theinterior of the bod In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM WESLEY HICKS.

of brackets 33. The unit itself includes a series of vertical radiatingtins 34 formed of a continuous piece of sheet metal. The inner portionsof the ns frctonally engage

